Method of dispersing bw/cw or other materials

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for forming a flat cloud of BW/CW agent and simultaneously a superposed flat cloud of fuel air. The fuel air cloud is then detonated.

United States Patent Harold J. Grytlng;

Lewis A. Stevens, China Lake; Robert C. Robbins, Menlo Park, all 01,Calif. 5.78.922

Sept. 12,1966

Aug. 3, 1971 The United States of America as represented by theSecretary of the Navy Inventors Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee METHODOF DISPERSING BW/CW OR OTHER MATERIALS 2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 102/90, 102/6 lnt. CL ..F42b 15/30, F42b 25/12 501 FleldoiSearch1o2/e.39,

Primary Examiner-Robert F. Stahl Attorneys-G. J. Rubens, R. Miller, V.C. Muller and M. F.

Oglo

ABSTRACT: A method and apparatus for forming a flat cloud of BW/CW agentand simultaneously a superposed flat cloud of fuel air. The fuel aircloud is then detonated.

\ y 1 I ll PATENTED ms slam FIGJS.

INVENTORS.

HAROLD J. GRYTING LEWISASTEVENS ROBERTC.ROBBINS BY V. C. MULLER ROYMILLER ATTORNEYS.

METHOD OF DISPERSING BW/CW OR OTHER MATERIALS The invention describedherein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of theUnited States of America forgovernmental purposes without the payment ofany royalties thereon or therefor.

This invention relates to Biological-Chemical (BW/CW) and moreparticularly to improvements in dispersing the BW/CW agent.

in the dispersal of BW/CW agents it is known practice to detonate acanister containing the agent at or near the ground, which forms a cloudof particles of various sizes which contact ground targets, such aspersonnel. Such type of weapon has only a limited area of dispersion andmay be rendered ineffective if the personnel are protected bytarpaulins, soft" buildings, or other frangible or porous coverings.

it is also well known to disperse a fuel in similar manner to form acloud of fuel-air particles (FAX) and detonate the cloud after it hasbeen formed. The resulting detonation then produces overpressure andshock waves which may destroy the intended target by such effects.

The present invention, briefly, combines the BW/CW and FAX effects toprovide a dual purpose weapon in which the FAX effect is superimposed onthe BW/CW efl'cct.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide method and apparatusfor destroying or opening up frangible protective covers by a FAXdetonation and utilizing such detonation to disperse a BW/CW agent intoor through such covers.

Another object is to disperse the BW/CW agent over larger areas than washeretofore possible in the absence of the FAX effect.

Still further objects, advantages and salient features will becomeapparent from the description to follow, the ap pended claims. and theaccompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates the initial step in the formation of a BW/CW cloudand s superimposed FAX cloud.

FIG. 2 illustrates the effects of detonation of the FAX cloud a shortinterval later. and

FlG. 3 is a cross section of a canister for delivering the materials forforming the clouds of FIG. 1.

Referring first to FIG. 3, canister for forming the clouds referred to,comprises a metallic tubular casing 12, closed at opposite ends by walls14, 16 and having a partition wall 18,

. near its lower end, forming compartments 20, 22, the various partsbeing secured together, such as by welding. A burstcr tube 24, welded atone end to wall 14 extends substantially to the bottom of compartment 22and contains a high explosive 26, such as tetryl. which may be initiatedby any type of fuse, such as a proximity fuse 28. Compartment ZOcontainsthe BW/CW agent and compartment 22 the fuel such as ethylene oxide,these being introduced through suitable pipe fittings 29, 30 which arethen plugged. A relatively small ullage space in each compartment ispreferred. The circumferential wall of the upper compartment may bescored longitudinally and circumferentially to provide weakened zones topermit uniform rupture of same and the circumferential wail of the lowercompartment may be similarly scored and thinned in thickness to ensurethat both walls simultaneously rupture upon detonation of the burstercharge.

In operation, the canister is delivered to a point above the target bydropping from aircraft or by mortar with its longitu- FAX cloud hasreached the optimum air-to-fuel-ratio it is detonated in any mannerknown in the art of detonating such clouds which produce shock waves 36,as illustrated in FIG. 2, and overpressure. This effect causes theparticles of the BW/CW cloud to move downwardly and outwardly at highvelocity, as illustrated by the arrows 38, 40 respectively, alsobreaking up any larger drops or droplets into extremely fine particleswhich may pass through porous coverings such as tarpaulins and the like.Since the shock wave and overpressure of the detonated FAX cloud istransmitted to and through the particles of the BW/CW cloud, this opensor destroys soft targets permitting the BW/CW agent to penetrate intosame which would otherwise not have occurred in the absence of the FAXdetonation. Also, since the BW/CW cloud is confined between the FAXcloud and the ground, the shock wave and overpressure moves itsparticles outwardly in all radial directions, thus covering an area.greater than would have been covered in the absence of the FAXdetonation.

While the canister and its contents may be varied as desired, a specificexample found to produce the results described comprises an aluminumtube about 10 inches long and 5 inches in diameter of about 0.075 incheswall thickness, di-

. vided into about an 8 inch upper compartment and a 2 inch lowercompartment, the ends being of sufficient thickness to confine ruptureto the circumferential wall.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in the light of the above teachings. it is therefore to heunderstood that within the scope of the up pended claims the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What we claim is:

l. The process of disseminating a BW/CW agent for contacting groundtargets, such as personnel. which comprises the steps of:

a. simultaneously forming from the same locus adjacent the ground agenerally flat cloud containing particles of a BW/CW agent and asimilarly shaped superposed contiguous fuchair (FAX) cloud. and.

b. detonating the FAX cloud when it has reached optimum fuel-air ratio.

2. Apparatus for disseminating a BW/CW agent for contacting groundtargets, such as personnel which comprises:

a. a frangible canister having upper and lower adjacent compartments.

b. a liquid fuel substantially filling the upper compartment,

adapted when disseminated in the air, to provide an explosive mixture c.a BW/CW liquid substantially filling the lower compartment, and v d. aburster charge within the canister adapted to simultaneously ruptureboth compartments for forming a lower BW/CW cloud and an uppercontiguous FAX cloud adapted to be detonated after it has reachedoptimum fuel-air ratio.

1. The process of disseminating a BW/CW agent for contacting groundtargets, such as personnel, which comprises the steps of: a.simultaneously forming from the same locus adjacent the ground agenerally flat cloud containing particles of a BW/CW agent and asimilarly shaped superposed contiguous fuel-air (FAX) cloud, and, b.detonating the FAX cloud when it has reached optimum fuel-air ratio. 2.Apparatus for disseminating a BW/CW agent for contacting ground targets,such as personnel which comprises: a. a frangible canister having upperand lower adjacent compartments. b. a liquid fuel substantially fillingthe upper compartment, adapted when disseminated in the air, to providean explosive mixture c. a BW/CW liquid substantially filling the lowercompartment, and d. a burster charge within the canister adapted tosimultaneously rupture both compartments for forming a lower BW/CW cloudand an upper contiguous FAX cloud adapted to be detonated after it hasreached optimum fuel-air ratio.